How to make eating healthy an easier habit

In a perfect world, you would make all of your food and snacks from scratch to insure you were eating the best foods possible. In reality, however, we are so busy with all of life’s challenges and surprises and even if we were to plan out every menu, sometimes you have to improvise. How do you do that and still eat right? The secret is to choosing foods with the least amount of ingredients. My new commitment is to scan the ingredient lists and if there are items listed that I cannot pronounce or have never seen, I put the product back on the shelf. Why would I want something in my body or my family’s bodies that I don’t know what it is, let alone cannot sound the words out! Another great tip is to try something different. We are all adults here, we don’t have to scrunch up our faces and make whiny sounds when it comes to sampling a food that we never thought we’d eat. Why not? I tried beet juice today and mixed with some carrot juice, it’s pretty darn good! Yes, I did try to hold my breath as I first started to drink the stuff but when I realized the flavor wasn’t half-bad, I relaxed and enjoyed the entire glass! How’s that for growing up? Listed here are some items you can purchase and have on hand to grab when in a pinch. Or you can use them in recipes you’d like to try out. Make a habit of buying one or two new and different items per week and eat or drink it as soon as you can! Maybe you’ll find a favorite food or drink, maybe you might hate it but find your significant other or even your children enjoy it! Life is about trying new things, if you keep doing what you’ve always done, you’ll keep getting back what you’ve always got. So, ready to “shake” up your food routines? Try some of these this very next week:*Dr. Prager’s California Veggie Patties*Jennie-O Turkey burgers *Health is Wealth chicken patties*Kashi red curry chicken*4 oz. single serving tuna packets*canned beans (black, kidney,cannellini) and/or chickpeas*Kashi thin crust roasted vegetable pizza*Precooked rotisserie chicken*Van’s organic flax waffles*Food for like Ezekial 4:9 cinnamon raisin english muffins*whole-grain sliced bread*Pre-cooked whole wheat pasta, like Buitoni 100% Whole wheat linguine*Amy’s breakfast scramble wrap*Amy’s roasted vegetable lasagne*Amy’s light in sodium brown rice & vegetables bowl*Uncle Ben’s ready rice-Whole grain brown(cooks in 90 sec)*Near East Whole grain blends wheat couscous*Bagged frozen fruit (mangoes, berries, etc)*Frozen vegetables (green beans, mixed vegetables, etc)*Frozen roasted red potatoes, like Alexia*Fresh precut fruit (like cantaloupe chunks)*Bagged precut stir-fry vegies(fresh or frozen)*Bagged salad greens*low-sodium canned or boxed soup or veggie chili; like Pacific, Amy’s and Health valley*McCann’sInstant Irish Oatmeal*100-Calorie packs of unsalted almonds or other nuts*All-natural peanut butter,in regular or single-serve packets (like Justin’s)*Slivered almonds and/or chopped peanuts*Ready-made hummus and/or guacamole*Single-serve yogurt, like Fage Total 0% or 2% Greek Yogurt*The Laughing cow cheese wedges or Mini Babybel Light cheese rounds*All-natural granola bars (like Nature Valley or Barbara’s Organic)Also, you can whip up some fresh food items in a jiffy to create a quick meal or snack. You can use eggs to scramble up anytime. Great protein choice and you can enjoy them anytime of the day…not just breakfast! How about skinless chicken tenderloins and single-serving salmot fillets in your freezer? Quick, easy, and so good for you. And, my favorite quick snack, easy to eat whole fruits. Bananas can be thrown in your bag or eaten on the go. Same goes for apples, plums, pears, and so many more. Don’t ever leave home without something you can grab and eat quickly for some energy and to curb any last minute drive thru devastations. If you must stop for a quick “pick me up” at the “pick up” window, try these for the smartest picks of all. Just try not to do it more than once or twice a week! TACO BELL:*2 Fresco Soft Tacos (Ranchero chicken, 340 cal, 8g fat; Grilled Steak, 320 cal, 9g fat)*Fresco Bean Burrito with Guacamole (375 cal, 11g fat)KFC:*Grilled chicken breast with mashed potatoes and green beans (300 cal, 9g fat)*Grilled chicken BLT salad with Light Italian dressing (230 cal, 7.5g fat)MCDONALDS:*Hamburger with small fries (480 cal, 20g fat)*Premium Southwest salad with Newman’s own Creamy Southwest Dressing (240 cal, 10.5g fat)PIZZA HUT:*2 slices Thin ‘n Crispy Pepperoni & Mushroom pizza (380 cal, 16g fat)*2 slices Thin ‘n Crispy Veggie Lover’s Pizza (360 cal, 12g fat)STARBUCKS:*Protein Plate with Peanut Butter (370 cal, 17g fat)*Egg White spinach and Feta Wrap (280 cal, 10g fat)So, let’s see if some tweaks in our day to day meal items can shed some unwanted weight and re-gain our energy and physiques we were truly meant to keep! Let me know what you will do or what you already are doing…